Doctors put pressure on Govt for plain cigarette packaging

The Government is facing renewed calls to legislate for plain cigarette packaging after 600 doctors signed an open letter published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). Doctors want the Government to see draft regulations before the 2015 election.

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Australia has seen a "huge growth of illicit and illegal tobacco" since plain cigarette packaging was introduced, a retail expert told Good Morning Britain.

Jeff Rogut, from the Australasian Association of Convenience Stores said there had been a "dramatic shift" towards cheaper brands as well as customers choosing to buy illegal cigarettes, which could contain more toxins than regular ones.

Smoking giant British American Tobacco has hit out at fresh calls for the Government to enforce plain packaging on cigarettes and warned removing recognisable labelling "plays into the hands of criminals".

We are strongly opposed to plain packaging for our products. There is no credible evidence that plain packaging will work in terms of stopping children taking up smoking or encouraging current smokers to quit.

Instead, plain packaging will simply play into the hands of the criminals who are ready and waiting to supply people, regardless of their age, with cheap tobacco products.

Australia introduced plain packaging one year ago, the experiment has failed and now some politicians have publicly said the measure should be reconsidered.